Rail-fastening means.



'H. HARSH.

RAIL FASTENING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED .AUG- 16. 1911.

1 365,907. Patented-May 14, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET lijid;

H. HARSH.

RAIL FASTENING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJG. 1917.

1,265,907. Patented May14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l7 i k HOWARD HARSH, OF OSAKIS, MINNESOTA.

RAILS-FASTENING- MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 14, 1918.

Applieation filed August 16, 1917. Serial No. 186,445.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD HAnsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Osakis, in the county of Douglas and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Fastening Means; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptlon of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail fastening means, the

prime object of the invention being to provide fastening means of this character which is simple, .reliable and efficient in use, and which will prevent the rails from spreading.

A further object of the invention is to provide rail fastening means which when applied in position will not only securely hold and maintain the rail in position but will take care of the expansion and contraction thereof under varying conditions of the weather.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be fully described hereinafter, and afterward specifically claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the rail fastening means applied in operative position,

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 represents a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4. represents a vertical sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 on Fig. 3, and showing a wooden block arranged beneath the rail,

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the fastening means,

Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of one of the fastening plates,

Fig. 7 represents a detail perspective view of the locking member, and

Fig. 8 represents a detail sectional view taken in a plane indicated by the line 88 on Fig. 4.

Similar characters of reference are used to denote like parts throughout the following description and accompanying draw- In order that the construction and operation of the invention may be readily comprehended, I have illustrated an approved embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, and will now proceed to fully describe the same, in connection with said drawings, in which 1 indicates a railroad tie having a rail 2' mounted thereon and which is adapted to be securely held to the tie through the medium of my improved construction of fastening means.

This fastening means comprises a pair of metal plates 3 and 1 somewhat triangular shaped in this instance and are each provided at their bottom edge with an inwardly extending flange 5. 6 representsa horizontally disposed elongated slot'in each of the plates through which extends a connecting bolt 7. The upper edge of each plate is provided at opposite ends with inwardly extending shoulders 8, which with the flanges 5 .are adapted to overlie the upper and lower edges of the tie to assist in holding the plates thereto.

The tie is provided with a transverse casing which has a vertical diameter greater than the diameter of the bolt 7 which perinilts of a limited vertical adjustment of said The plate 4: has its outer face formed with serrations 10 which are engaged by the serrations 11 on one face of the locking member 12. This member is provided with an opening 13 for the reception of the bolt 7. From the foregoing construction it will be noted that the bolt 7 is held against movement longitudinally of the tie while the plates 3 and 4 may be adjusted longitudinally thereof, to properly gage the rails on the tie, and are secured in adjusted position by the nut '14 bearing against the locking member 12.

Each plate 3 and 4: is provided at its upper end and at its opposite sides with bosses 15, each having a vertically disposed rectangular socket 16 for the reception of a spike 17. A set screw 18 extends transversely through one side of each of the bosses and is adapted to engage the spike arranged therein and hold it in adjustable position with respect to the plate and rail. By making the sockets 16 rectangular, and adjusting the set screws 18, it will be apparent that rails of different sizes may be accommodated between the spikes and shoulders 8. It is also to be noted that the rail may be shimmed up by adjusting the spikes vertically and placing a wooden block or shim 2O beneath it. These wooden blocks or shims are designed to absorb the shock and impact incident to the wheels of the rolling stock passing over the rails.

By the use of rail fastening means of this character, the rails, by virtue of their posi-- tion between the shoulders S, will be pre vented from spreading any appreciable amount, and by the particular means of securing and holding the rail base flange to the tie and plates, expansion and contraction thereof due to the varying conditions of the weather, will be taken care of.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a tie and rail mounted thereon, of a pair of plates arranged on opposite sides of the tie, a bolt extending through the tie and connecting said plates together, means to permit of a limited vertical adjustment of said bolt, means for adjusting said plates longitudinally of the tie on said bolt, and means carried by said plates for engaging and holding the-rail to said tie.

2. The combination with a tie and rail mounted thereon, of a pair of plates, means projecting inwardly from said plates over the upper and lower edges of the tie, means extending through the tie and connecting said plates, means for adjusting said plates longitudinally of the tie, spike carriers carried by each plate, and spikes adjustably mounted in said carriers and adapted to lockingly engage the rail.

3. The combination with a tie and rail mounted thereon, of a pair of-plates arranged on opposite sides of the tie, means for attaching the plates to the tie, a pair of oppositely disposed bosses carried by each plate and each provided with a socket, a rail engaging spike mounted in each of said sockets, and means for maintaining said spikes in adjusted position.

at. The combination with a tie and rail mounted thereon, of a pair of plates arranged on opposite sides of the tie, means for adjusting the plates to the tie, a pair of bosses arranged on the outer face of each plate and each provided with a socket, a rail engaging spike mounted in each of said sockets, and a set screw extending through one wall of each socket, and adapted toengage the spike to hold it in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD HARSH.

Witnesses:

A. G. ANDERSON, H. C. LARSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

